1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tiltable sunshade, and more particularly to a sunshade that can be adjusted to be retained in one of a plurality of tilt positions.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 8 of the drawings illustrates a tilt device for a sunshade. The tilt device includes a lower sleeve 7 having a lower end engaged with a lower support tube (not shown) of a sunshade (not shown) and an upper sleeve 6 having an upper end engaged with an upper support tube (not shown) of the sunshade. A canopy (not shown) is attached to the upper support frame. The lower sleeve 7 includes two longitudinal wings 74 extending upward from an upper end thereof, thereby defining a space 74a allowing pivotal movement of a lower end of the upper sleeve 6. The lower sleeve 7 further includes a transverse hole 86 having a countersink 82 in an end thereof. A push member 78 extends through the transverse hole 86 with an enlarged head 88 resting in the countersink 82. The upper sleeve 6 includes a pin hole 62, and a pin 76 is extended through pin holes 72 in the longitudinal wings 74 and the pin hole 62 of the upper sleeve 6, thereby allowing pivotal movement of the upper sleeve 6 relative to the lower sleeve 7. Three positioning grooves 64a, 64b, and 64c are defined in a side of the lower end of the upper sleeve 6. A spring 80 is mounted in the lower sleeve 7 to bias the push member 78 outward, thereby urging an engaging portion 84 on the push member 78 to selectively engage with one of the positioning grooves 64a, 64b, and 64c. The upper sleeve 6 and the canopy are thus retained in an upright position or a tilt position relative to the lower sleeve 7. When the enlarged head 88 of the push member 78 is pushed inward, the spring 80 is compressed and the engaging portion 84 of the push member 78 is disengaged from the positioning grooves 64a, 64b, and 64c. The upper sleeve 6 may be pivoted to another position and the push member 78 is then released to engage the engaging portion 84 with another positioning groove under the action of the spring 80. Thus, the canopy can be retained in another tilt position relative to the lower post of the sunshade.
Nevertheless, the engagement between the engaging portion 84 and the positioning groove 64a, 64b, 64c is not strong, since the positioning groove 64a, 64b, 64c is shallow and faces outward not downward. As a result, the engaging portion 84 or a separation wall between each two adjacent positioning grooves tends to break when the canopy is subjected to strong wing.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved sunshade that can be adjusted to be reliably retained in one of a plurality of tilt positions.
A tilt device for a sunshade in accordance with the present invention comprises:
an upper sleeve having an upper end adapted to be securely connected to an upper end of an upper support tube of a sunshade and a lower end, the lower end of the upper sleeve comprising a plurality of positioning grooves;
a lower sleeve having a lower end adapted to be securely connected to a lower end of a lower support tube of the sunshade, two spaced longitudinal wings extending upward from the upper end of the lower sleeve, the lower end of the upper sleeve being pivotally connected between the longitudinal wings, a first opening being defined in the lower sleeve, a second opening being defined in the lower sleeve and opposite to the first opening;
a push member including a stem having a first end located in the first opening and a second end located in the second opening, the stem being biased to selectively engage with one of the positioning grooves of the upper sleeve;
wherein a peripheral wall defining the first opening and the first end of the stem are so configured that the stem moves downward and inward when the first end of the stem is pushed inward.
In an embodiment of the invention, the first end of the stem includes an enlarged head formed thereon. The first opening is located below one of the longitudinal walls and the second opening is located below the other longitudinal wall. The peripheral wall defining the first opening includes an outwardly facing first inclined surface. The enlarged head includes an inwardly facing second inclined surface in sliding engagement with the outwardly facing first inclined surface, such that the stem is moved inward and downward when the enlarged head is pushed inward. The outwardly facing first inclined surface is above first opening and faces downward. A peripheral wall defining the second opening includes an inwardly facing third inclined surface and the second end of the stem includes a fourth inclined surface in sliding engagement with the inwardly facing third inclined surface. Two transverse walls are connected between two opposite inner wall portions of the lower sleeve, the transverse walls defining a track for receiving the stem of the push member and guiding transverse movement of the push member relative to the lower sleeve. One of the positioning grooves of the upper sleeve that engages with the stem faces downward when the former is engaged with the latter. The stem comprises a stop formed thereon to prevent disengagement of the push member from the lower sleeve.
Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.